Prospect Notes, March 25, 2012

Prospect Notes, March 25, 2012

**Chicago White Sox pitching prospect Hector Santiago is under-the-radar nationally but is having a very fine spring, with one run allowed in eight innings. He's walked four but also fanned nine, and there have been rumors that he could be in the mix for the closer job, although fellow rookie Addison Reed plus veterans Matt Thornton and Jesse Crain are also options.

Santiago is an intriguing prospect in any role. A 30^th round pick in 2006 from Okaloosa-Walton Community College, he has a low-to-mid-90s fastball and developed a screwball last year. A lefty screwball pitcher is an unusual closer profile, but the situation bears watching.

**Another unconventional but successful lefty of note is Oakland Athletics prospect Tom Milone, who threw five shutout innings in an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants in Japan, fanning seven.

Including this game, Milone has thrown 17.2 innings this spring with a 16/1 K/BB ratio and a 3.57 ERA with 13 hits allowed. Acquired from the Washington Nationals in the Gio Gonzalez deal over the winter, Milone doesn't throw hard but is extremely deceptive, has superb control, and posted an ungodly 170/20 K/BB ratio in 174 innings between Triple-A and the majors last year. I know some people are skeptical about him, but I'm a believer at this point.

**Someone asked me for a Career Profile for Chipper Jones. I did one last year, and most of this data would still be valid, especially the stuff about his minor league career of course.

**I'm working on some 2012 draft stuff for Monday. Stay tuned.